Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• While having breakfast with Qian Renxue, Wu Qingkong shares an intimate mouth-to-mouth feeding moment with her. Their privacy is interrupted when Guang Ling enters without waiting for an answer.
• Guang Ling announces that Bibi Dong has stepped down as pope and named Wu Qingkong her successor. The transfer comes far sooner than Wu Qingkong expected.
• Qian Renxue encourages her husband to go accept the role, assuring him she can manage on her own.
• At Pope Hall, Bibi Dong hands Wu Qingkong the papal scepter—but first infuses it with enormous Soul Power and hurls it at him, making his ability to catch it an immediate test before Spirit Hall’s assembled elders.

Character developments

• Wu Qingkong is surprised by his sudden appointment and remains attentive to Qian Renxue, but accepts the responsibility and goes to Pope Hall.
• Qian Renxue is playful and affectionate with Wu Qingkong, then confidently supports his leadership and sends him off without fuss.
• Bibi Dong follows through on her promise to Wu Qingkong, relinquishing the office after he helped repair her relationship with Qian Renxue. Her forceful handover also tests whether he merits the position.
• Guang Ling brings the news but accidentally interrupts the couple, prompting an awkward, teasing exchange.

Significant themes

• Trust and reconciliation: Wu Qingkong’s role in mending Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue’s relationship leads directly to his appointment.
• Power and legitimacy: Wu Qingkong inherits great authority, but must prove his personal strength rather than rely on his connections.
• Affection alongside duty: The domestic warmth between the newly married couple contrasts with Wu Qingkong’s sudden public responsibilities.

Character interactions

• Qian Renxue teases Wu Qingkong during breakfast and later reassures him that she will be fine while he takes up his new post.
• Guang Ling’s sudden entrance embarrasses the couple; Qian Renxue tells him to knock and wait next time.
• Bibi Dong publicly acknowledges her promise and passes the scepter to Wu Qingkong in a dramatic test.
• The gathered elders watch closely, especially Chrysanthemum, Ghost, and Ghost Leopard, who are unsure whether the new pope has real ability.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Qingkong stops Bibi Dong’s flying scepter by activating his Martial Soul Avatar. His ice-blue sword freezes the scepter in midair, impressing the assembled elders.
• Bibi Dong declares that she is stepping down and names Wu Qingkong the new Pope. She bows to him first, prompting the elders to pledge their allegiance.
• Wu Qingkong recognizes that Bibi Dong’s test was designed to demonstrate his strength and secure the elders’ acceptance. He thanks her, then asks the gathered members to work together for Spirit Hall’s future.
• Unsure what to do as Pope, Wu Qingkong receives advice from Bibi Dong: he can delegate routine affairs and should not feel pressured.
• Remembering warnings about the rise of Evil Soul Masters and the danger posed by the City of Slaughter, Wu Qingkong issues his first decree: Spirit Hall must intensify its pursuit of Fallen and Evil Soul Masters and tighten security around the City of Slaughter. The elders agree to obey.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Qingkong proves his strength and earns the elders’ respect, moving from reluctant successor to recognized Pope. He is initially uncertain about leadership but quickly takes decisive action when he considers the threat to the continent.
• Bibi Dong willingly relinquishes the position and actively helps establish Wu Qingkong’s authority. Their exchange shows mutual respect: she credits him with earning the role, while he understands the political purpose of her public test and endorsement.
• The elders, including Chrysanthemum Pass, Ghost Leopard, and Gui Mei, shift from surprise to submission after witnessing Wu Qingkong’s feat and Bibi Dong’s support.

Significant themes

• Legitimacy through demonstrated strength: Wu Qingkong’s ability and Bibi Dong’s public endorsement secure acceptance beyond mere appointment.
• Succession and trust: Bibi Dong steps aside and guides her successor rather than undermining him.
• Leadership and responsibility: Wu Qingkong’s first decree reflects his decision to use his authority to prevent broader harm.
• Protection versus danger: The growing Evil Soul Master threat and the risk surrounding the City of Slaughter frame the new Pope’s priorities.

After his enthronement, Wu Qingkong entrusted Spirit Hall’s affairs to Hu Liena so he could spend time with Qian Renxue. A year later, Spirit Hall found the Clear Sky Sect’s hiding place, and Wu Qingkong prepared to lead an attack while wondering why the sect had suddenly become so conspicuous.

• Wu Qingkong left Pope Hall to return to Qian Renxue and met Hu Liena in the corridor, where he congratulated her on her work and promised to restore the Pope position to her after dealing with the Evil Soul Masters.
• Wu Qingkong asked Hu Liena to manage Spirit Hall’s affairs while he spent more time with Qian Renxue, and Hu Liena resolved to seek a divine inheritance of her own.
• Over the following year, Spirit Hall searched for the Clear Sky Sect and eventually found a lead three hundred li east of Heaven Dou City.
• A guard reported that the Clear Sky Sect had recently been practicing openly with their Clear Sky Hammers, and Wu Qingkong ordered him not to act rashly before Spirit Hall marched on the sect.

Wu Qingkong and Qian Renxue left Spirit Hall for the Far North Land to complete their Divine Examinations by obtaining a Soul Ring over two hundred thousand years old. They reached the frozen plains, but had not yet found a suitable Soul Beast, while Spirit Hall faced possible danger from the Clear Sky Sect with Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo away.

• Wu Qingkong rejected Qian Renxue's plea to spare the Clear Sky Sect, saying he had promised to destroy it and wanted to change their fate.
• Wu Qingkong froze Clear Sky Sect spies who were monitoring him, and Tang Xiao learned of their deaths and anticipated his return.
• Wu Qingkong and Qian Renxue said farewell to the elders and departed Spirit Hall to complete their Divine Examinations in the Far North Land.
• Qian Renxue explained that Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo had gone to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a Soul Beast for her, prompting Wu Qingkong to worry that Spirit Hall was vulnerable.
• After several days of travel, Wu Qingkong and Qian Renxue reached the Far North Land without finding a suitable Soul Beast, and Wu Qingkong set his sights on the Titan Snow Demon King.

Wu Qingkong and Qian Renxue took shelter from a blizzard, then Wu Qingkong defeated the Heavenly Ice Giant Bird that had trapped Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er. Shui Bing'er introduced herself and asked his name, but he left her wondering about his cold response.

• Wu Qingkong and Qian Renxue sheltered in a tent during heavy snow, where their intimate moment was interrupted by Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er calling for help outside.
• Wu Qingkong gave Qian Renxue a warm robe and went into the storm, where he found the two girls sheltering behind a rock and spotted the Heavenly Ice Giant Bird above them.
• Wu Qingkong used Heavenfrost Chill Slash to kill the giant bird, dispersing the storm and bringing sunlight back to the land.
• Shui Bing'er thanked Wu Qingkong and introduced herself, but he reacted with surprise at her name and turned away to collect the bird.
• Shui Bing'er felt disappointed by Wu Qingkong's coldness and thought fondly of the man she had loved since childhood.

Wu Qingkong asked Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er whether they had seen the Titan Snow Demon King's clan, but Shui Bing'er recognized him as the boy who had helped her awaken her Ice Phoenix years ago. She recounted their childhood meeting and confessed that she had missed him, leaving Wu Qingkong beside the bird carcass as she approached him.

• Wu Qingkong asked Shui Bing'er whether she had encountered the Titan Snow Demon King's clan, and she said she had not.
• As Wu Qingkong summoned the Heavenly Frost Sword to prepare the bird carcass, Shui Bing'er recognized him and ran back to him.
• Shui Bing'er told Shui Yue'er that Wu Qingkong had visited her family over ten years earlier and helped stabilize her Ice Phoenix martial soul.
• Shui Bing'er recalled kissing the exhausted young Wu Qingkong and hearing that he was already betrothed, after which Wu Changming took him away.
• Shui Bing'er crouched beside Wu Qingkong and asked whether he remembered her, saying she had missed him for years.

Shui Bing'er confessed her feelings to Wu Qingkong, only to learn he was married to Qian Renxue. After meeting Qian Renxue, Bing'er remained determined to stay close to Qingkong despite his wife’s presence.

• Shui Bing'er tried to sit close to Wu Qingkong, but he moved away to save a bird leg for Xue'er and accidentally made her fall.
• Wu Qingkong told Shui Bing'er he had been married for over a year, and she confessed she had loved him since he repaired her Martial Soul.
• Qian Renxue emerged from the tent, and Wu Qingkong introduced her to Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er as his wife.
• Shui Bing'er shook hands with Qian Renxue and privately took comfort in having known Wu Qingkong longer than she had.
• As Wu Qingkong roasted the bird, Shui Yue'er urged Shui Bing'er to respect his marriage, but Bing'er said she would not give up and could settle for being his younger sister.

Wu Qingkong and Qian Renxue shared roasted meat with Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er, then warned them to leave the dangerous core region. Shui Bing'er confessed her feelings and tried to kiss Wu Qingkong, but he disappeared and told her they were only friends, leaving her in tears.

• Shui Bing'er told Wu Qingkong that she admired him, but he brushed off her words and focused on preparing food for Qian Renxue.
• Qian Renxue shared meat with Shui Bing'er and warned her that pursuing the Titan Snow Demon King was too dangerous for her and Shui Yue'er.
• Wu Qingkong roasted more meat for the sisters, helped them prepare a place to sleep, and urged them to leave the core region the next day.
• Shui Bing'er told Wu Qingkong she wanted to be with him in secret and embraced him, while Shui Yue'er stepped outside.
• Shui Bing'er leaned in to kiss Wu Qingkong, but he vanished and told her they were only friends; Shui Yue'er returned and found her sister wiping away tears.

Shui Bing'er mourned Wu Qingkong’s rejection, while he returned to Qian Renxue and reassured her that he had not accepted Shui Bing'er’s advances. Qian Renxue rewarded him with an intimate night, but their time together was interrupted when a mysterious girl came looking for a missing Ice Jade Scorpion.

• Shui Yue'er comforted Shui Bing'er, who vowed to find a chance to return Wu Qingkong’s Ice Origin before leaving.
• Wu Qingkong entered Qian Renxue’s tent, where she revealed she had witnessed his encounter with Shui Bing'er through her Angelic Divine Power.
• Qian Renxue teased Wu Qingkong for resisting Shui Bing'er’s advances, then declared his punishment would be ten times.
• An Ice Jade Scorpion scout told its master that their kin’s aura led to Wu Qingkong’s tent, and the master set out to confront the human she suspected had captured it.
• Wu Qingkong sensed danger and went outside with Qian Renxue, who spotted a petite girl in the snow and rushed to hug her.

Qian Renxue welcomed a little girl into the tent, unaware that she was Ice Empress, who had sensed her clan's Soul Bone on Wu Qingkong. Ice Empress attacked him, and Qian Renxue turned on her in response, leaving the two facing off after Ice Empress revealed her identity.

• Qian Renxue embraced the little girl and brought her into the tent while Wu Qingkong realized she might be Ice Empress.
• Ice Empress sensed her clansman's aura nearby and searched Qian Renxue, then Wu Qingkong, discovering the Soul Bone's glow on his left arm.
• Ice Empress told Qian Renxue she wanted Wu Qingkong's life and struck him with a blast of energy.
• Qian Renxue used Martial Soul Possession and attacked Ice Empress with her holy sword, but Ice Empress froze the blade.
• Ice Empress revealed that she was one of the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North.

The Ice Empress attacked Wu Qingkong over a soul bone she believed belonged to her clan, but Qian Renxue defended him and persuaded the Ice Empress that he was not a bad person. The Ice Empress agreed not to kill Wu Qingkong, but still demanded that he cut off his arm and surrender the soul bone.

• Qian Renxue attacked the Ice Empress after learning who she was, but the Ice Empress disarmed her and approached Wu Qingkong.
• Wu Qingkong used Heavenfrost Chillmist to rescue Qian Renxue and tried to escape, but the Ice Empress dispelled the mist and sealed the exit with ice.
• The Ice Empress prepared to kill Wu Qingkong, and Qian Renxue shielded him, insisting that he had not killed the Ice Jade Scorpion or stolen the soul bone.
• Qian Renxue reminded Wu Qingkong that he had protected her before and declared that she would protect him, prompting the Ice Empress to reconsider.
• The Ice Empress spared Wu Qingkong because he had not abandoned Qian Renxue, but demanded that he sever his own arm and return the soul bone to her clan.

Wu Qingkong fought the Ice Empress after she tried to sever his hand over the Soul Bone, with Qian Renxue backing him up. The Ice Empress recognized the Heavenly Frost Sword but still unleashed her Eternal Frozen Domain, while Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er rushed to help.

• The Ice Empress froze Qian Renxue and Wu Qingkong and moved to cut off Wu Qingkong's hand, but he broke free with his Asura Domain and challenged her.
• Wu Qingkong summoned his Martial Soul, and the Ice Empress recognized it as the Heavenly Frost Sword before attacking him with her Ice Empress's Pincer.
• Wu Qingkong fought back with the Heavenly Frost Sword and Shura Divine Sword, while Qian Renxue supported him with her Angel Domain; their combined strike shattered the Ice Empress's icy pincer.
• Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er saw the battle and went to help Wu Qingkong, despite Shui Yue'er fearing the Ice Empress's overwhelming strength.
• The Ice Empress unleashed her Eternal Frozen Domain, turning everything within ten thousand meters into a frozen realm.

The Ice Empress revealed that she had imitated Wu Qingkong’s Heavenly Frost Sword to create a new Soul Skill after his grandfather saved her from a heavenly tribulation. Though she forgave Wu Qingkong for absorbing her Soul Bone, she ended by saying she wanted to be with him.

• The Ice Empress pretended to attack Wu Qingkong, then showed him that her ice sword resembled his Heavenly Frost Sword.
• The Ice Empress explained that she had fallen in love with the Snow Empress, whom she called Xue'er, and had once tried to force herself on her but failed.
• The Ice Empress recounted how Wu Qingkong’s grandfather had saved her during her four hundred thousand year heavenly tribulation and given her a wisp of Heavenly Frost Sword origin.
• The Ice Empress recognized Wu Qingkong as her savior’s descendant and forgave him for absorbing her Soul Bone.
• The Ice Empress told Wu Qingkong that she wanted to be with him.